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2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(ModeL) A. B. DEVITT.

WASHING MACHINE.

No. 439,576. Patented Oct. 28. 189-0.

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(ModeL) Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. B. DEVITT.

WASHING MACHINE. v No. 439,576. Patented Oct. 28, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDRENV B. DEVITT, O-F ROSEMOUNT, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO THOMAS E. DEVITT, OF SAME PLACE.

WASHING- SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,576, dated October 28, 1890.

Application filed July 18,1388. Serial No. 280,339. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, ANDREW B. DEVITT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Roseinount, in the county of Dakota and State of Minnesota,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Washing-Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap- 1o pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Thisinvention relates to washing-machines of the class known as oscillating washers, in which the articles to be cleansed are moved back and forth over a corrugated bed by means of a rubber oscillated by means of a handle extending above the top of the tub in which the bed is placed.

The invention consists in the arrangement of the bed in such a manner as to leave a space underneath the same for the deposit of sediment and also furnishing an air-chamber at the upper part of each end of the suds-box in such a position that the air is compressed by each oscillation of the rubber and tends to throw back the water and clothing against the rubber and at the same time to turn the articles so that a different surface is presented for rubbing at each movement of the rubber; in the construction and arrangement of an inwardly-projecting ledge at each end of the box having its inner surface substan- 3 5 tially parallel to the face of the rubber when at its nearest limit thereto, by means of which the clothing may be squeezed as well as rubbed at each movement of the rubber; in the form of the rubber to admit of such turning and squeezing; in the connection between the cover of the suds-box and the rod or shaft upon which the rubber is mounted, whereby the rubber and cover may be removed together, thus allowing the box to be used in the place of an ordinary tub; and in the form and arrangement of the bearing-plates in which the rubber-shaft is mounted and by means of which the same is held securely in place and adapted to be easily removed. The invention is illustrated in the accompanyin g drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section, and Fig. 3 is a detail view, of one of the bearing-plates in which the rubber-shaft is mounted and by means of which it is locked in place; and Fig. 4 a detail View of one of the bearing-plates, showing the rubber-shaft locked in position.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all of the figures.

A represents the suds box, of rectangular form, preferably of somewhat greater length than width, to the bottom and ends of which are fastened two or more longitudinally-extending bed-supports a a, having their upper edges formed in a semicircle slightly less in diameter than the length of the box, the center of curvature of which is near the upper edge of the box. To these supports and extending crosswise of the box are attached'ribs, forming the corrugated scrubbing bed B. These ribs are substantially semi-cylindrical in form, and are placed at a slight distance from each other in order to allow for the passage of water and sediment between them.

At the upper part 'of each end of the box and extending within the semi-circumference formed by the bed are placed cross bars or ledges Z) Z), having their lower inner corners 8o beveled off at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees to the vertical. The object of these bars or ledges is to partially inclose an air-space c at each end of the box, and at the same time the beveled front side forms a surface substantially parallel to the face of the rubber when brought toward it, by means of which a bed is formed, upon or against which the clothing is squeezed by the rubber, and the same surface also forms a guard. to preventwater from splashing out of the box by reason of the cover being open or imperfectly closed. The cover of the box is made preferably in three parts, a middle section cl extending across the top of the box, each end 5 resting upon the top of the sides and against a shoulder formed by an additional side rail 6, attached to each side of the box and projecting a short distance above the same. The rest of the top is closed by two lids f f, hinged TOG to the opposite sides of the middle section-d.

To the under side of the middle sect-ion is fastened in any suitable manner the rod E, upon which the rubber is mounted and upon which it is adapted to be oscillated. I have shown the rod E sunk in a groove extending the whole length of the under side of the middle section (I, and held in place by means of crossbar-s so LU.

The rubber F is composed of two side pieces 9 g, connected at the upper end by a crossbar h, by means of which it is operated, the said cross-bar serving as a handle, and upon the lower ends of these side pieces are attached the ribs forming the rubber proper. The side pieces pass through slots 1' i in the opposite ends of the middle section (I, the pieces 5 9 being at this point preferably made of circular form to completely fill the slots to make the top of the box as tight as possible. Through the center of the circular portions the rod E passes, the side pieces, if necessary, being provided with a metallic sleeve bearing to fit the rod and obviate the wearing of the wood. The rod is fixed and the rubber oscillates upon it. The lower ends of the side pieces within the tub are made of substan tially elliptical form, the longer diameter be ing in the direction of the length of the arm, and consequently in the radius of the circle formed by the bed. Slats or ribs 7a extend from one side to the other, the ribs being of substantially the same form as those composing the bed and wholly covering the elliptical portion thereof. The rod E extends a short distance at each end beyond the sides of the box, and is mounted therein in vertical slots Z I, of sufficient depth to allow the middle section of the top to which the rod is attached to fit tightly down upon the upper edge of the sides of the box. The rubber F and the entire top of the box can therefore be lifted off together by simply raising the rod E out of the slots Z1, and the box can then conveniently be used for the purposes of an ordinary wash-tub, the bed serving for a washboard.

To secure the rubber and top firmly in place when the machine is to be employed in its normal use, I have provided a plate G, which is attached to the side rail of the box on each side, each plate having a slot corresponding to the slot Z in the side rail of the box. 011 each side of the slot, and at a dis tance above the bottom of the same a little greater than the diameter of the rod E, is a shoulder or lug m formed conveniently by being cast as an integral part of the plate.

Upon each end of the rodE a screw-thread is formed,and upon this is fitted athumb-nut H, the purpose of which is to engage underneath the shoulder on on each side of the slot when tightened, and thus retain the rod from being raised from the slot. \Vhen it is desired to free the rod, the thumb-nuts are loosened, and there is then no obstruction to the raising of the rod from the slot.

The space in the upper part of each end of the box and behindthe bed acts as an air-chainber in which the air is more or less compressed by each movement of the rubber carrying a mass of clothing and water. The compression of the air causes the water to rush back toward the other end of the box with considerable velocity, thereby agitating the water and disturbing the articles in such a way that a different portion of the same is presented to the action of rubbing at each movement of the rubber. The backward movement of the water also prevents splashing, and the machine can be equally well used without tightly closing the covers. By reason, also, of the amount of open space between the bed and the bottom and ends of the box there is at all times a large amount of still water into which allsediment sinks and whence it cannot again come in contactwith the clothihg.

The clothing is not liable to be torn or injured by being rubbed too severely between the rubber and the bed, as the face of the rubber is always at such an angle to the surface of the bed as to produce rather a drawing movement than a grinding between two surfaces. The squeezing operation which takes place at each oscillation of the rubber between the rubber and the projecting ledge adds materially to the efficiency of its work.

Every portion of the machine which can by any means come in contact with the clothing is of wood, with the exception of the rod E, which may be galvanized to prevent rusting. The whole may be cheaply and quickly constructed by any carpenter, and when constructed is substantial and durable and accomplishes its work in a rapid and eflicient manner without injury to the clothing.

I claim as my invention-- In a washing-machine, a suds-box having a semi-cylindrical rubbing-bed, rod mounted in vertical slots in the sides of said box, the bottom of said slots being in the center of curvature of the said bed, oscillating rubber mounted upon said rod, plates secured to the sides of the box around said slots and having similar slots corresponding therewith, outwardly'projecting lugs formed on said plates on each side of said slots, and a thumb-nut on each end of said rod adapted to engage underneath said lugs when tightened, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

In testimony whereof I ailixiny signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANDREW l3. DEVIT'I.

\Vitnesses:

JAMEs E. MULRooNEv, JAMEs GERAGHTY. 

